Maldives official language. What an ocean in the Maldives. How to call the Maldives

This small country located on 20 atolls in the equatorial part Indian Ocean. From India islamic republic separates more than 2000 km. The distance to Sri Lanka is significantly less: if you look at the Maldives on the world map, you can see that the states are approximately 700 km apart from each other.

Information about the islands

The state of the Maldives is formed by almost 2000 coral islets. About 400 thousand people live here, and the dominant religion is Islam. The total area of the Republic of Maldives is 90 thousand km 2, but the land share of it accounts for no more than 300 km 2.

Interestingly, the only city and port of the country is its capital Male, located on the atoll of the same name. The remaining islands are almost uninhabited and only occasionally there are hotels on them.

The time in the Maldives is UTC +5, so when flying you should prepare in advance for a change in time zones.

Weather by month in the Maldives

The climate is determined by where exactly the Maldives is located. It belongs to the subequatorial monsoon type, so the weather is radically different in the dry and rainy seasons. Depending on the month of your trip, you will have to prepare for the following:

January. A trip to the islands this month will definitely be successful thanks to the warm, sunny and windless weather and the calm that reigns in the ocean. Although January is technically the rainy season, there is minimal precipitation, which guarantees a wonderful beach holiday and the opportunity to go diving. During the daytime, the thermometer rises to at least +24 °C, and the water temperature averages +27 °C.

February. Crowds of vacationers usually flock here at this time. The ocean continues to delight with a comfortable water temperature of +25 °C, and daytime air temperatures rarely fall below +28 °C. There are practically no waves, and the sky is perfectly blue and cloudless. Therefore, even inexperienced divers can begin to learn the intricacies of diving, and the almost complete absence of precipitation allows you to have fun on a yacht or catamaran.

March. This month is also considered quite hot and dry, and the average air and water temperatures differ little from February. The sand remains very warm, and there are practically no tropical showers. March sees plenty of native flora bloom, but be prepared for the occasional sandstorm.

April. At this time, the southwest monsoon arrives in the Maldives, bringing with it a change in weather. Storms in the ocean are rare, the heat is increasing, but rain is still an infrequent visitor here. If you cannot stand the stuffiness, you should postpone your trip: the air temperature is generally +30 °C, and the water temperature reaches +28 °C.

May. Very strong winds begin to blow, sometimes turning into hurricanes. There is significantly more precipitation: approximately half of the days in May are rainy. At the same time, the weather constantly brings surprises. The sun gives way to heavy rain and vice versa.

June. This month continues the May trend as the southwest monsoon takes over. There are very strong gusts of warm wind. In June, the Maldives receives maximum rainfall, typical for of this region, however, their number rarely exceeds 200 mm. Ocean waves sometimes reach gigantic sizes. The thermometer stays at an average of +30 °C, and the water temperature in the ocean is +27 °C.

July. At this time, the islands are not very comfortable due to frequent rains. However, they quickly end, and soon the sky partially clears and the sun peeks through the clouds. In July, approximately 160 mm of precipitation falls, and the air temperature is +31 °C. In water, the thermometer usually shows +27 °C. Thunderstorms are possible, during which it feels cool.

August. This month is considered the most changeable on the islands. In early August, the sea is quite warm and calm, winds and hurricanes practically stop. It rains relatively rarely, and the atolls are still hot. But already at the end of the month the sky becomes increasingly cloudy, it rains often, and the wind gets stronger.

September. Both day and night, the weather remains mostly warm, and the sweltering heat recedes. Humidity remains quite high, and precipitation falls up to 200 mm. Average number rainy days in September - 15-16. The rains are often accompanied by strong thunderstorms, but the ocean remains quite warm with water temperatures of approximately +27 °C.

October. The air temperature drops slightly to +27-29 °C, and the water temperature drops to +26 °C, which does not interfere with swimming at all. It rains much less often: usually no more than 100 mm of precipitation falls.

November. This month the northeast monsoon arrives in the Maldives, bringing with it warm and dry weather. Winds and rains rarely bother tourists, and the average thermometer shows +28 °C. The water warms up to +25 °C.

December. At this time of year, everything is in bloom on the islands, so they turn into a real tropical paradise. Daytime temperatures rise to +30-32 °C, and the water temperature in the ocean rarely drops below +25 °C.

How to get to the Maldives

In any guidebook, where you will find everything you wanted to know about the Maldives, it is indicated that the connection between the island state and the mainland is carried out exclusively by air. The country's only airport is located in the capital Male. You can get to it in the following ways:

Direct flight from Aeroflot from Moscow. New Airbus A-330-200 aircraft fly from the Russian capital twice a week: on Wednesdays and Saturdays. If it is important for you to know how long it takes to fly from Moscow on such a direct flight, you will have to be patient: the flight duration is approximately 9 hours.

Please note that when returning from Maldives you will have to pay an airport tax of 10 USD - 15 USD, which is not always included in the air ticket price.

Flight with connecting companies Qatar Airways(transfer point - Doha), " Singapore Airlines» (transfer point - Singapore) or Emirates Airlines(transfer point - Dubai). The cost of tickets for airliners of these air carriers already includes an airport tax.

Connecting flight with Srilankan Airlines. To do this, you will first have to fly to Dubai or Colombo and purchase a ticket to Male at the local airport for 180 USD - 250 USD. This is the most a budget option flight for those who want to save money.

The average cost of a flight between the capitals of Russia and the Maldives ranges from 570 USD to 720 USD one way.

Maldives visa and customs clearance

Residents of Russia and the CIS countries do not need to obtain a visa to travel to the Maldives, since there is a visa-free agreement between the countries. However, given the sudden change in climate and the exotic nature of the region, it would not hurt to purchase a health insurance policy. Weekly insurance will cost approximately 25 USD - 45 USD.

It is very important to comply with the rules of customs legislation of the Republic of Maldives. They talk about the following:

You can import and export foreign currency in unlimited quantities.
Without paying a duty, 125 ml of perfume or cologne and 200 cigarettes are allowed to be imported, as well as no more than one item related to goods for personal use per passenger.
It is strictly forbidden to transport pork and meat products made from it, salami sausages, pornographic goods, narcotic substances, and shell souvenirs. sea turtle or dark coral, as well as antiques found on the ocean floor.

Be sure to note that the import and export of any alcoholic beverages in the Maldives is prohibited. Violation of this rule may result in arrest.

Cost of a holiday in the Maldives

Many Russian celebrities like Volochkova love to vacation in the Maldives. This is due to the very comfortable climate and reasonable prices for accommodation. If you are wondering how much a standard trip to the Maldives costs, please note that it depends on the following factors:

duration of the trip;
hotel category;
the island on which the hotel is located;
food and entertainment included in the price;
season.

The more services a hotel offers for vacationers (SPA, swimming pools, animation, sauna and much more), the more expensive the vacation will cost. If you are planning a trip of 7-8 days with a single or double room with half board and a minimum of entertainment, you will have to spend from 2600 USD to 5500 USD.

The wedding tour involves a romantic weekend for the newlyweds and will cost from 1750 USD to 2500 USD. The price includes room decoration, services of photographers and musicians, fruits, wine or champagne and an informal wedding ceremony. The all-inclusive tour is suitable for those who want to completely relax during their trip. Its price - from 3,500 USD to 7,000 USD for a week's stay in a 4 or 5 star hotel - includes three meals a day and free drinks throughout the entire stay.

Those looking to save money should pay attention to last-minute tours: they are usually 30% cheaper. Also at the most budget holiday in the Maldives for 8 days you will have to spend approximately 2000 USD if you book a room in an inexpensive three-star hotel without special amenities. The price includes airfare and medical insurance.

Maldives - real sunny paradise on earth where you can easily recuperate after a long-awaited vacation.

This question is asked by those who have already bought the long-awaited one or are just going to look for tickets and prepare for the trip. Everyone has heard about this stunning resort, the leader among the giants beach holiday, and you’ve probably seen photos from best beaches and hotels. The Maldives are 8.5 hours away by direct flight from Moscow to Male. This Island state located in South Asia in the middle of the Indian Ocean near the equator. It is precisely this geographical position of the Maldives and the equatorial climate that provide beautiful weather for a beach holiday all year round in any season.

For selection the best hotel, it is worth understanding where the Maldives are, where the capital Male and the international airport are located, and where you will go on vacation. I hope I have already convinced you of the importance of understanding geographical location Maldives? Then let's go!

The geography of the Maldives is so interesting that when you start studying it, you immediately understand why the widespread “lostness” of the Maldives is not accidental. They are so small that they are practically invisible geographical map. And many people often don't know what the Maldives is. Some of them quite seriously think that this is not a whole country, but one small island(for example, as part of Chile) with magnificent beaches and hotels.

Where is Male

Male(Male) is the capital of the Republic of Maldives. Male is located in the very center of the country on a fairly large and densely populated island. It is part of the North Male Atoll (Kaafu). Thousands of tourists fly to the Maldives every day at Male International Airport (its code is MLE), located on the island of Hulule, neighboring the capital.

Good to know:

See cheap flights to Male follow the link →
A ready-made tour to the Maldives can be selected on the website

Male City is the financial, administrative and transport center of the Maldives. It is home to many significant cultural attractions, modern hospitals, shops, restaurants, banks and a post office.

Male Island connected to many inhabited islands in the Maldives by various means of transport - ferry crossings, speedboats and local air travel using conventional airplanes and seaplanes.

Male on the world map

Where are the Maldives resort islands?

Not all islands in the Maldives are inhabited. Of almost 1200 individual islands only about 200 are inhabited or used as resorts. The Maldives are located both south and north of the capital Male. Some of them can be reached by speedboat or ferry, while others are located so far away that tourists fly to them either by seaplane (air taxi) or regular flights domestic airlines.

If you have already chosen your hotel, then on the map of the atolls you can understand where it is approximately located (see map). And for those who are still choosing, it will be interesting to keep in mind:

The closest resort island to the airport in the Maldives is a famous hotel Kurumba. It is very popular among Russian tourists, and for good reason, because the holiday there, judging by the reviews, is simply magnificent!
The furthest island in the south where the local population lives is Gan(Addu Atoll). Maldivian Airlines flies there from Male. Near the island of Gan there is a magnificent resort on the equator. Who hasn't dreamed of relaxing right under the sun? There is such an opportunity in the Maldives. Look at Villingili Island Shangri-La.
The most distant resort from the capital in the Maldives is located in the north of the Maldives archipelago on the island of Manafaru: JA Manafaru

The farthest island in the Maldives is Manafaru

To summarize my article, I hope that now you know exactly where the Maldives are and how special it is geographical features characteristic of this country. Therefore, when you are planning to relax in the Maldives, you will know exactly where you are flying and will never get lost!

Inexpensive islands (from 50 to 100 dollars):

How to book a hotel yourself:

The Maldives is a tropical paradise where beach season lasts 365 days a year, where the serene blue of the sky is reflected in the crystal clear waters of the Indian Ocean. It seems that this idyllic corner was created only to enjoy the joys of life - problems and political intrigues bypass it. But this is a misleading impression. The history of the Maldives is eventful.

From the Redins to the British

Unlike neighboring India and Sri Lanka, the history of the Maldives is little studied. According to research, civilization on the islands has existed for more than 3,000 years. This theory was confirmed in the 1980s by Norwegian archaeologist and writer Thor Heyerdahl. After conducting excavations on the Addu and Huvadu atolls, he found out that these lands were once inhabited by Aryan tribes. Tall, white-skinned people with blue eyes and aquiline noses called themselves redins and worshiped the Sun.

Found fragments of ceramics suggest that the Redins lived on the islands as early as 2000 BC.

Around the same time, the island of Nilandu was inhabited by Cholines. However, practically nothing is known about their origin.

The Giravaru community claims to be the oldest aboriginal people in the Maldives. For centuries, its representatives lived on the island of the same name, but with the start of construction international airport were forced to move to Male.

According to one version, the ancestors of Giravaru came from south india, according to another - from Australia.

In 500 BC. The second wave of settlement began in the Maldives. Immigrants from Sri Lanka settled on the islands and spread Buddhism.

Until the 16th century, the population of the islands consisted mainly of Indians, Malays and Sinhalese. But in 1507 the archipelago attracted the attention of the Portuguese. They were followed by the French, Dutch and British, who took turns establishing their own protectorate.

Acceptance of Islam

Until the 12th century - more than 1000 years - the Maldivians practiced Buddhism. But in 1153, the Arab trader Abu al-Bakarat landed on the islands and convinced the local king to convert to Islam.

According to legend, every month the islanders sacrificed an innocent girl to the genie Rannamari. She was brought to the temple and left overnight. The next day the unfortunate woman was found dead. Outraged by the cruelty of the ritual, Abu al-Bakar decided to put an end to it. At the appointed hour, he himself came to the sanctuary and spent the whole night reading the Koran. The sacred suras scared away the evil spirit, which disappeared into the depths of the sea and no longer disturbed the inhabitants of the island.

From that time on, the era of Islam and sultanates began in the Maldives, during which six dynasties and 90 rulers changed.

Maldives in the twentieth century

At the end XIX century, fearing expansion from India, the Maldivians signed an agreement with Britain. According to the document, the British provided their military assistance in case of foreign invasion, but did not interfere in the internal affairs of the country.

The British presence continued until 1965.
On July 26, 1965, the Maldives gained independence.

In 1932, the British supported Mohammed Shamsuddin III, who adopted the country's first constitution. The new law limited the sole power of the Sultan and ensured free elections. And in 1953, ruler Amin Didi abolished the sultanate, adopted a new constitution and became the first president of the Maldives. He introduced universal primary education and women's suffrage. At the end of 1953, as a result of food riots, Amin Didi was overthrown.

He was succeeded by Mohammed Fari Didi, who restored the sultanate and became the last, 94th Sultan of the Maldives. True, by that time the title had turned into a kind of honorary title, and real power had passed to the prime minister.

The Maldives adopted its third constitution in 1968 through a referendum. Instead of the Maldives, the country began to be officially called Republic of Maldives. President Ibrahim Nasir remained in power for 6 years and fled the country in 1978 during a popular protest against rising prices.

Since 1978, for 30 years (6 consecutive five-year terms), the Maldives was ruled by President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. After the 2004 unrest, Gayoom promised to expand political freedoms. In 2008, the first multi-candidate presidential elections took place, resulting in Mohamed Nasheed becoming the new President of the Maldives.

Since 2018, the country has been led by President Abdulla Yameen.

The Republic of Maldives is an island state in Indian Ocean.

The archipelago of the Maldives is located at the junction of the Arabian and Laccadive Seas, five hundred kilometers southwest of the southern tip of the Hindustan Peninsula. Detailed map The Maldives shows that the country occupies 27 atoll formations consisting of 1,192 individual coral islets.

The Maldives cannot boast of large size. The largest is Gan Island, but its area is less than 10 km 2. Most of the islands of the archipelago do not exceed several hundred square meters.

Maldives on the world map: geography, nature and climate

If you look at the Maldives on a world map, you will notice that southern part The country is crossed by the equator line. Although the length of the archipelago is about 750 km from north to south and 130 km from west to east, the total area of its islands is only 298 km 2. The atolls of the Maldives can cover hundreds of km2, but are ring-shaped. And the majority large islands located on external sides atoll rings.

The coastline of the Maldives is 644 km. Due to its remoteness from the coasts of the continent, the country has neither land nor sea neighbors.

Geographical position

The Maldives are the peaks of the underwater Chagos-Laccadive Ridge, which stretches for almost 2,500 km. However, the Maldives is not represented by volcanic rocks. All the islands of the archipelago consist of sand and coral formations. Therefore, the Maldives is considered the lowest located state on the planet.

The most high point The country is located on the island of Gan and is only 2.4 meters above sea level. Most of the archipelago is uninhabited. Only about 200 islands are inhabited. Due to the large extent of the Maldives, there are several large straits separating groups of atolls. On the map of the Maldives in Russian you can find the largest of them - the Equatorial Strait. Its width is about 95 km and its depth exceeds 2500 m.

Animal and plant life

Due to the small size of the islands and the dense population of the largest of them, the terrestrial flora and fauna of the archipelago is not rich. Several varieties of palm trees and rare mangrove forests are all that the Maldives can boast of. Animal world The islands are also not very diverse - Achatina, hermit crabs, gray herons and flying foxes. But undersea world countries are disproportionately richer.

Hundreds of giant living coral ecosystems contain about 200 species of corals, more than 1,000 species of fish, 250 varieties of crustaceans and up to five thousand species of mollusks and echinoderms. The local fauna also boasts two dozen species of various whales and dolphins. The straits between the atolls are abundantly populated with plankton.

Climate

The subequatorial climate of the Maldives is formed by the seasonal northeast monsoons. average temperature throughout the year it is approximately the same - from 23-30°C. Although there are no clearly defined seasons in the country, spring is somewhat hotter and drier. With the arrival of the monsoons, the temperature and humidity rise slightly. The average rainfall is about 2000 mm per year.

Map of the Maldives with cities. Administrative division of the country

The Maldives is divided into 21 administrative divisions. Together they form 8 regions, formed according to the principle of geographical proximity. The country's population is about 405,000 people. A map of the Maldives with cities in Russian demonstrates that, despite its small area, this makes the Maldives one of the most densely populated countries in the world. The average population density here is 1135 people per km 2.

Male- capital and The largest city countries. Located in the central part of the Maldives. Almost a quarter of the archipelago's population lives here. It is included in the list of the most densely populated cities in the world and occupies the entire territory island of the same name, the area of which does not exceed 6 km 2.

Kuramati Island located 50 km west of the capital. Despite its small size, the island is the most popular tourist center countries.

Eidhafushi- one of the largest inhabited islands of the Maldives. Located in the northern part of the archipelago, 100 km northwest of Male. Notable for its absolute height of 0 meters above sea level.

But to the question: - Where are the Maldives? not everyone will be able to give the correct answer. Meanwhile, finding their location is not at all difficult. Pick up a map and find the Indian Ocean. Two parallel chains of islands, southwest of India and near the equator, are the coveted Maldives.

A little geography

Exotic coral islands stretch from north to south for 820 kilometers. total area The Maldives is 90 thousand square kilometers, but only 298 square kilometers are allocated to land, the rest of the territory is occupied by the sea. The coral atolls comprise 1,192 stunning islands, of which 994 are uninhabited.

The population of the paradise country is 393 thousand people, who settled on two hundred islands. About half of them hospitably welcome tourists from all over the world, who know very well where the Maldives are on the world map and strive to come here as often as possible. The islands are very small, a few square kilometers, so there is no more than one hotel on each of them. Blue transparent lagoons, amazing sandy beaches, unique vegetation and highest level services make your stay here delightful and unforgettable.

Weather

Where are the Maldives? Where there is no winter. The subequatorial monsoon climate provides average annual temperature 24-30 degrees. From November to March there is dry, warm weather and the thermometer does not drop below 17 degrees. There are rains, rough seas and temperatures of 30-32 degrees. It is pleasant to swim here all year round, because the water temperature constantly remains at the same level - 24-27 degrees.

Flora and fauna

A distinctive feature of the animal world is the complete absence of poisonous reptiles. And you don’t even have to worry about a dog bite here; keeping these animals is prohibited by law. But quite a short distance from the shore you can see a huge whale shark, but, as you know, giants feed only on plankton, so those who want to swim can do so without fear.

Fans of exotic fruits simply need to know where the Maldives are, because there are a great variety of them here. Unique climate allows you not to lack vitamins all year round.

Coconuts, bananas, mangoes, papaya, and pineapples delight tourists and natives with their juicy pulp. Everywhere the delicate aroma of orchids, hibiscus, roses, their variety and variety amazes the imagination.

Calmness, silence and complete unity with nature allow you to completely detach yourself from existing problems and give yourself a good rest.

Smallest capital

The city of Male is recognized as the smallest capital in the world, because it covers an area of only 2.5 square kilometers. This is a tiny cozy town whose main attractions are the "Good Friday" mosque with a sparkling golden dome, located in Sultan Park National Museum, the Presidential Palace and the legendary burial places of Maldivian saints. There are no noisy entertainment venues here, but you can stroll along the picturesque embankment, enjoy the aroma of flowers in a shady park, and visit unique vegetable and craft markets. Everything in this country is subject to the laws of nature, and, probably, sometimes it’s even good to take a break from the hustle and bustle of big cities in such a cozy and calm place.

Visa and customs control

Where the Maldives is located is well known to those who have visited this wonderful exotic corner and will probably visit it again.

To travel here you do not need to visit consular offices -.

You can relax here for 30 days, this is the period indicated on the tourist visa, which is placed in your passport free of charge upon arrival in the country. Customs can check whether you comply with the rules that prohibit import:

drugs;
pork products;
animals;
alcohol;
anti-Islamic literature;
pornographic products;
military attributes.

In addition, when going on an exotic vacation, you should remember that nudism and toplessness are prohibited in this Muslim country, and women, when visiting the capital and areas where aborigines live, should not wear beachwear; knees and shoulders must be covered.

The attractiveness of the Maldives

Important for local residents and the prohibitions and restrictions that are not at all burdensome for us do not in the least detract from the advantages of relaxing in this fabulous country. Now you know that the Maldives is where the transparency of the warm waters of the Indian Ocean is, Exotic fruits and the aroma of exquisite flowers, spreading palm trees and schools of colorful fish, calm silence and solitude on a small colorful island in the middle of the ocean expanse. The Maldives is paradise on earth, pleasure and bliss that you can give yourself.

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